My GS mini Koa sounds dead at 50% Humidity

[B Johnson]

Sounds dead like year-old strings when it comes out of the humidified hard case with humidi-packs and a hygrometer reading of 48-52 percent but takes on a wonderful shimmering sound after 12 hours at 30% RH. Talked to Taylor and they are sticking to their recommendation to keep it at 45-55% as much of the time as you can.
Anyone else have a similar experience?
It's only 6 months old and has the original factory .013 string set on it.  These are a little hard on my fingertips after an hour or so of playing and I tire quickly making bar chords close to the nut. 

I would welcome a string recommendation.

Also, when I flat pick i rest one or two fingers just under the small e string and a shiny spot that doesn't wipe off with a damp cloth is developing.  Should I put on a pick guard?  Taylor says the Koa open pore in so hard and durable it should last decades without a problem.  Thinking of a cheap clear one cut just to cover the shiny spot as to not take away any of the resonance and good looks of the Koa.

This is my first Taylor. mostly played Yamaha FG and FS up to now.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions and thoughts.

[Lillis]

I wouldn't drop below 40% humidity for any long periods. When I had my mini I really liked medium Martin FX flex core strings. Both the tone and feel were great.

[B Johnson]

Thanks.  I'll look at those strings.   

[Earl]

My wife's GS Mini mahogany only had mediums on it when it came home from the store.  Thereafter, it was always light gauge (53-12) with no perceptible loss of tone.  She does not play much and does not have major callouses.  Six month old strings may be a part of the tonal issue too.

I take extra care about humidity for the first few years of a guitar's life.  After about five years I relax a bit, but never abuse them.  If the house were 30% RH they would go back into the case with humidity devices, whichever version you choose.

[B Johnson]

Thanks for the suggestions and help.

Got D'Addario XSABR1253 XS 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings - .012-.053 Lights on the way.  Hopefully I'll get the shimmer back, even a 50% RH.

AS a life- time player (10 to current 69Y old).  I'm not used to the level of care recommended by Taylor and other good brands.

I bought a Yamaha FG820 on sale for about $250 about 5 years ago.  I Kept in a cheap nylon gig bag with no humidification whenever I thought I would not be playing for a few weeks   Otherwise, it sat beside the couch exposed to 25-40% RH and residential temp swings.  No damage and sounds better every year.  Got lucky?  Yamaha a bit over built?  Will fall apart soon? don't know.  But unless I become rich and famous and can afford a humidity controlled playing room, don't think I'll ever buy an expensive all solid wood guitar.

A bit off subject:............
MyFather gifted me a Gibson ES-330 TDC when I was 14 (1968).  I drug in all over the place to gigs, jam sessions, churches, outdoor festivals; winter-summer; car trunks, rough roads etc. I wore out the cheap chipboard case and almost its replacement.  Granted I was in the Ozark area of the US with RH normally between 40-80 and the body was full laminate.  But the only ill effects it suffered was a slight crazing of the nitro finish which some have told me makes it more "vintage" and divits worn into the fingerboard.  I only stopped treating it like a beater when I saw these models were going for 5k-7k at Reverb and auction.  Wouldn't trade the lifetime of memories and joy of playing it in all these places even if it fell apart tomorrow. It now hangs on the wall of my adult son's man cave beside a vintage Strat. 

I don't have enough time left to re-create my ES-330 memories with my Mini, but I think it will start its campfire jaming life soon.  It just seems made for that.

Guitars gotta go out, see the world, feel the wind and be played